Method of making tennis-racket handles



Sept. 28 192s. 1,601,209

H. ll GEYER METHOD OF MAKING TENNIS RACKET HANDLES.

Fiied May 6, 1922 stanzas rei nearer Darren, or-rro, risers-non T rnn nnvron s rannnzioeonr centrality, or DAYTON, onto, a conronarron or onto.

METHOD OF MAKING TENNIS-RACKET HANDLES.

pi'il i n l ay 1912. semi No. 559,050.

One of the principal objects of my i.n v-entionis to provide a wood handle for tennis rackets, that is economical to produce and efli'cient in' servicex:

It is another object of my invention to provide a new method of making these handles in quantity production, by first grooving two sections of wood and then gluing or other 'ise securing them together to form a handle containing groove-formed holes to receive the legs of a metal tennis racket frame, as opposed to the unsatisfactory method of making the handle in one piece and thereafter drilling or boring the legreceiving holes therein.

My improved method not only insures economy in the .manufacture of a tennis racket handle, but provides a handle which, when completed, may be quickly and secure- .ly applied to a metal tennis racket frame.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a metal tennis racket frame to the legs of which my improved handle is applied. Figure 2 is a plan view of one of the grooved handle sections. Figure 3 is a side view of a handle after its sectionshave een glued together, showing a pin in one of its groove-formed holes. Figure i is a plan view of a clamp containing a plurality of handles, showing pins in some of the holes therein. Figure 5 is a plan view of a wood section containing a single longitudinal groove in its upper face. And Figure 6 is I an end view of two wood sections, showing an alining head in one and a groove in the Y other to receive'it.

Throughout the specification and drawings, similar reference characters denote corresnondi" parts Referring to the accompanying drawings, thenuineral 1 designates elongated piece or section of wood of the desired length and width for a tennis racket handle. It is rectangular in cross section, and in its upper surface there is formed by a suitable machine, a pair of parallel longitudinal grooves 2,2. Each of the latter is semi-circular in cross sect on, so that when twoof the sec;

t-ions are glued or otherwise secured together. the grooves in one section will form with the grooves in the other section, holes Sthat are adapted to receive thelegs l, 4t of a metal tennis racket frame 5, whereby to the latter.

My improved method of producing these tennis racket handles eiiiciently in quantiis to be applied to a tennis racket frame having but one leg portion.

Glue or other adhesive is applied to the grooved sides of the handle sections 1. 1, after which they are firmly pressed together in a clamp 6,'with the grooves in one section opposite the grooves in the other section to form the leg-receiving holes 3. Pins 7 are then driven into the holes 3 to bring them into exact relation to each other and the outer surface of the handles. These pins, are preferably heated before being inserted in the holes 8, to make the latter continuous and free from glue runs that would interfere with the reaming operation.

After the wood sections 1 have been firmlv glued together in the clamp 6, with their holes placed in the proper relation to each other and made free from glue runs by the pins 7,the handles are withdrawn from the clamp and reamed, turned and shaped. The holes 3 in the handles thus formed enable the latter to be firmly held in the lathe duringthe turning operations. These holes are then plugged in their rear ends and left open in their front ends to receive the legs t, i of the tennis racket frame.

In Figure 6 I have shown one of the wood sections 1 provided with a head 8 between the grooves 2, 2, for entrance in a recess 9 in the other section 1 between the grooves 2, 2 therein for the purpose of guiding the grooves in one section into accurate alinement with thegrooves in the other'section and to assist in firmly holding or locking said sections together after they have been glued. K

It is now seen that I have not only pro Vided a desirable handle that may be readily and firmly applied to the legs of metal 'tennisracket frame, but one which may be produced efiiciently and in lawn quantities by my improved method before described.

I do not wish to be limited to the details of construction and arrangement herein shown and described, and any changes or modifications may he made therein within the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. The herein described method of making a handle, which consists, first, in cutting two sections from wood, then forming a pair of alined longitudinal grooves, semi-circular in cross section, in a corresponding face of each wood section, then gluing said sections together to bring the grooves in one in alinementwith the grooves in the other, and then forcing a heated element into said holes for the purpose specified.

2. The herein described method of making a handle, which consists, first, in cutting two sections from wood, then forming a pair of aline-d longitudinal grooves, semicircular in cross-section, in a corresponding face of each wood section, then applying a glue to the grooved faces of said sections and clamping them together, and then forcing pins into the groove-formed holes for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 2nd day of May, 1922.

HARVEY D. GEYER. 

